Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Coronavirus: Disease Control

lord naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions, if any, the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies have had with economists on the economic impacts of the lockdown; and if no discussions have taken place, what the reasons are for not holding such discussions.

lord callanan: The Government makes decisions based on the best scientific evidence, along with consideration of the economic, operational, social and policy implications of any interventions that might be introduced. The remit of SAGE is to provide science advice to the Government, but this is just one part of the picture. Scientific advice from SAGE is often considered alongside advice from other specialisms such as economics. As new scientific questions emerge, the participants at SAGE will change to provide the best available scientific evidence at that time.

Coronavirus: Research

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they imposed any public interest conditions to the £14 million granted to the 21 new coronavirus research projects that were announced on 17 April.

lord callanan: These projects were funded through a joint UKRI-DHSC rapid response call that was launched in February 2020 and has since announced a total of £24.6m worth of funding for 27 projects. Of the 21 projects announced on 17 April, 20 projects will receive their grants through UKRI terms and conditions which can be found on the UKRI website. In addition to this, as researchers undertaking work relevant to public health emergencies they are required to set in place mechanisms to share quality-assured interim and final data as rapidly and widely as possible, including with public health and research communities and the World Health Organization in accordance with the Joint statement on sharing research data and findings relevant to the novel coronavirus outbreak. This can be viewed on the Wellcome website. The project contracted by DHSC was under standard policy research programme terms available from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) website. This contract has a range of terms that allow DHSC to ensure that public interest is delivered by the research.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Social Services

baroness hollins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what personal protective equipment they plan to provide to personal assistants and carers working with disabled adults, including those who are in receipt of continuing health care funding; and when any such equipmentwill be provided.

lord bethell: Care home and home care providers are being issued with personal and protective equipment. We are also engaging with key health and social care stakeholders to understand what more we can do to help the ensure continuity of supply.Additionally, we are working with wholesalers to help ensure a longer-term supply of all personal protective equipment, including gloves, aprons, facemasks and hand sanitiser, to all care sectors.

NHS: Protective Clothing

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there is a sufficient amount of protective clothing and equipment for front line staff at (1) GP surgeries, and (2) hospitals.

lord bethell: There continues to be adequate supply in line with Public Health England recommended use and the European Union exit and pandemic influenza stockpiles have been released. We have now moved to providing substantial extra deliveries and support will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.Services across the National Health Service are urgently being sent stocks of personal protective equipment to help them manage cases and potential cases of COVID-19 and keep staff safe.

Coronavirus: Pharmacy

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of pharmacies in England have receivedthe basic equipment needed to handle safely the COVID-19pandemic.

lord bethell: As stated by the Prime Minister, every community pharmacy in England has now received a personal protection equipment delivery.The full weight of the Government is behind this effort to provide health workers the equipment they need, and we are working closely with industry, the National Health Service, social care providers and the army to ensure the right equipment is delivered to the right people.

Doctors: Registration

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to expedite the registration of those doctors who are awaiting final registration by the General Medical Council so that they may assist with the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: The Government is working closely with the General Medical Council (GMC), which is responsible for registering medical practitioners in the United Kingdom.Requirements for registration are at a high standard to ensure that anyone joining the medical register has the necessary medical knowledge and skills to practise safely in the UK.The GMC has prioritised applications from people who are be able to provide the required evidence, which can be assessed more quickly.The GMC has also written to all final year medical students across the UK to invite them to apply for provisional registration. The GMC will follow its usual policies and procedures to ensure that students joining the medical register are fit to practise.

Doctors and Nurses: Migrant Workers

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) nurses, and (2) doctors, whose countries of origin are outside the UK, are working in the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups, but not staff working in primary care or in general practitioner surgeries, local authorities or other providers.The latest data shows that, on a headcount basis, as at December 2019 there were:- 35,204 non-United Kingdom national doctors, that is 29% of all doctors (excluding unknowns); and- 56,805 non-UK national nurses and health visitors, that is 18% of all nurses and health visitors (excluding unknowns).

NHS: Pay and Protective Clothing

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in providing all NHS staff with adequate personal protection equipment; and what plans they have to raise the salaries of NHS workers in order to provide financial support to families of such staff.

lord bethell: We are incredibly proud of all our National Health Service staff. We are working hard to ensure that staff feel supported and safe to continue the fight against COVID-19.The Government is working around the clock with industry and the army to give the NHS the equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, we have delivered over 1 billion items of personal protective equipment (PPE) across the United Kingdom. The guidance on PPE is consistent with World Health Organization guidance for protecting health and social care workers from COVID-19.The Government recognises the extraordinary commitment of NHS staff, working day and night putting our care and safety at the centre of everything they do. Annual pay awards for NHS staff are determined by an independent transparent pay review body process. We want to ensure that the NHS employment offer continues to attract, retain and reward staff and this offer continues to be kept under review.

Health Professions: Coronavirus

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many final year nurses, midwives and associated health professionals who finished their courses early to take up roles in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are now working in the (1) NHS, and (2) social care sector; and what special provision is being made to support those workers.

lord bethell: Final year nursing, midwifery and many allied health profession students are beginning to be deployed into the National Health Service and social care sector. Information on the overall numbers deployed is being collected by Health Education England and will be made available from early May 2020.We have guaranteed that all nursing, midwifery and allied health students who do opt in to paid clinical placements to support the COVID-19 response will be rewarded fairly for their hard work. Students who opt in will be getting a salary and automatic NHS pension entitlement at the appropriate band. They will also still receive their student maintenance loan and Learning Support Fund payments too.Universities will also continue to provide pastoral support to students throughout this time too.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

baroness drake: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure alternative support will be provided if there are insufficient staff available to support residents in a care home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: We know that many social care providers are working together and with local government and health services to support each other with workforce shortages. We will further facilitate this mutual aid by shortly publishing guidance about the redeployment of staff and the use of volunteers. We are developing our data collection to provide information on workforce pressures across England, ensuring that resources can be targeted where they are most needed. Additionally, on 23 April we launched a new national recruitment campaign which aims to attract 20,000 people into social care over the next three months. To enable quick recruitment, we are temporarily providing free-of-charge Disclosure and Barring Service applications and fast-track Barred List checks for many of our vital social care roles. We are also working with NHS England to ensure that nurses returning to practice are deployed where they are most needed.

NHS: Food

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to provide NHS staff with free food after they finish their shifts.

lord bethell: The Department has asked NHS England and NHS Improvement to develop a comprehensive package of emotional, psychological and physical support for National Health Service staff during the COVID-19 outbreak. As part of this they have been working with a number of commercial partners, including major supermarkets and food chains, to ensure staff have access to food.NHS organisations are ultimately best placed to decide how best to support their staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the provision of free meals, and we are aware of several local initiatives to do so.

Immigrants: Detainees

baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals at immigration detention centres and other accommodation for asylum seekers have reported COVID-19 symptoms; how severe the symptoms have been in these cases; and what medical treatment has been provided.

lord bethell: There are currently no individuals within the immigration detention centre estate showing symptomatic signs of COVID-19. There have been three confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the immigration detention centres since the outbreak began, none of whom were hospitalised. Information about the severity of these cases or what medical treatment has been provided is not centrally collected and neither is information on individuals in other accommodation for asylum seekers.

Coronavirus: Prisons

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the testing for COVID-19 of (1) prison staff, and (2) prisoners.

lord bethell: COVID-19 testing has been extended to cover prison staff, probation staff and those working in approved premises. Hundreds of staff have now been tested and Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service is working with the Department testing teams to roll-out a COVID-19 testing plan for prison staff.

Drug Resistence: Coronavirus

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on (1) the prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in those patients who contract bacterial pneumonia, and (2) the spread of such bacteria in hospitals.

lord bethell: Public Health England (PHE) regularly reports on healthcare-associated infections and resistance to key antibiotics, which can be viewed online on the antimicrobial resistance Fingertips webpage. PHE will track the impact of COVID-19 on these infections using these established surveillance data systems.Analysis looking at bacterial species which commonly cause pneumonia following flu showed a reduction in overall bacterial reports with antibiotic resistance remaining relatively stable, as the COVID-19 incident developed. PHE will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Abortion: Coronavirus

baroness stroud: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Secretary of State for Health that “they have no proposals to change any abortion rules as part of the COVID-19 response” on 24 March (HC Deb, col 244) and the remarks by Lord Bethell that “it is not right to rush through this type of change in a sensitive area such as abortion without adequate parliamentary scrutiny” on 25 March (HL Deb, col 1762), what (1) steps they took, and (2) consultation they undertook, before deciding to permit at-home abortion using the administration of mifepristone and misoprostol following a telephone consultation.

lord bethell: On 30 March, Ministerial powers under the Abortion Act 1967 were used to temporarily approve women’s homes as a class of place where both abortion pills can be taken for early medical abortion up to 10 weeks gestation following a telephone or e-consultation with a clinician. Doctors’ homes have also been approved as a place from which abortion medication can be prescribed. Following the debate on 24 March the Department was presented with strong evidence from providers that the situation in relation to abortion provision was rapidly changing, services closing and large numbers of appointments for treatment were being cancelled. It was therefore considered that the balance of risk to allow a temporary modification of the arrangements for treatment for early medical abortion had shifted and the temporary modification should be allowed. In reaching this decision account was also taken of wider advice regarding the need for some groups to isolate, that access to abortion is an urgent matter: the procedure’s risk increases at later gestations and there are legal gestational limits for accessing services. This position is being kept under review and the temporary approvals will end once the risk from the COVID-19 pandemic recedes.

Abortion

baroness stroud: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further totheir decision to allow at-home administration of mifepristone and misoprostol to induce an abortion following a telephone consultation, what plans they have to review theirguidance on abortion that states that “the purpose of the requirement that two doctors certify the ground(s) for termination is to ensure that the law is being observed; this provides protection for the woman and for the doctors providing the termination”.

lord bethell: The Government has no plans to amend the legal requirement for two doctors to certify abortion procedures under the Abortion Act 1967. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have put in place two temporary measures in England; one of which is to ease the pressures of health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing registered medical practitioners to prescribe both pills for the treatment of early medical abortion up to 10 weeks from their own homes.

Nurses: Re-employment

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to request those nursing professionals whose registration has lapsed in the last five years to return to work in NHS Nightingale Hospitals.

lord bethell: The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the independent regulator of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom, and nursing associates in England, introduced a temporary registration process on 27 March. The NMC has written to all professionals who have left the register in the past five years, inviting them to join the temporary register.NHS Professionals launched the COVID-19 Rapid Response service to enable healthcare workers, including registered nurses who are not currently working in the National Health Service, to move quickly and safely to the frontline to help to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak. Staff are deployed to clinical settings on the basis of their geographical location, skills and availability.

NHS: Disclosure of Information

lord wills: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to remind NHS trusts of their responsibilities to whistle-blowers.

lord bethell: Speaking up is vital for ensuring patient safety and improving the quality of services and should be a routine part of business in the National Health Service. The NHS should support and welcome all staff to raise concerns wherever they spot them.The Government has proactively encouraged NHS staff to raise concerns over recent years and provided support by establishing an independent National Guardian to help drive positive cultural change across the NHS so that speaking up becomes business as usual.On 23 April the Care Quality Commission and the National Guardian issued a joint statement to providers of health and social care reminding them of the importance of speaking up. This followed a letter that the National Guardian sent to NHS trust chairs in March, which also highlighted the importance of staff having the freedom to speak up and the need to support Local Freedom to Speak Up Guardians at this time.We will continue to encourage and support the rights of staff to raise concerns.

Cancer: Surgery

baroness finlay of llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure there is an adequate supply of medicine, including anaesthetic drugs, to enable urgent cancer surgery to continue during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: As part of our concerted national efforts to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are doing everything we can to ensure patients continue to access safe and effective medicines. We are aware there is an increase in demand for a number of intensive care drugs including anaesthetic drugs and we are working with the pharmaceutical industry to make additional supplies available. We are also being ably supported by NHS England and NHS Improvement to ensure all supplies available are managed equitably across the United Kingdom.

Coronavirus: South Korea

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the approach taken by the government of South Korea to the COVID-19 pandemic and, specifically, their focus on testing, tracing and isolating; what plans they have, if any, to introduce a similar policy in the UK; and what contingency plans, if any, they have developed to enable implementation of such a policy.

lord bethell: We are working closely with other countries through international forums such as the G7, G20 and the World Health Organization, as well as on a bilateral basis on a range of issues relating to COVID-19.We are developing a test and trace programme to support the next phase of our COVID-19 response. This will include a new app which will complement existing web and phone-based contact tracing approaches as well as swab testing. This programme will play an important role in helping to minimise the spread of the virus in the future.

Medical Equipment: Procurement

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure medical supply lines are not compromised.

lord bethell: As part of our concerted national efforts to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are doing everything we can to ensure patients and health and social care workers continue to access the appropriate medicines and medical supplies.The Department is working closely with industry, the National Health Service and others in the supply chain to help ensure patients and health and social care workers can access the medical supplies they need, and precautions are in place to reduce the likelihood of future shortages.The Department shares regular information about impending supply issues and management plans with the NHS and industry and will liaise with relevant patient groups about issues affecting specific medicines and other medical supplies.

Asthma: Prescriptions

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of people in England with asthma who do not currently have prescription prepayment certificates.

lord bethell: This information is not held in the format requested.Medical conditions are not disclosed when a prescription pre-payment certificate is purchased.

Chloroquine: Shortages

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the shortage of the drug Chloroquine.

lord bethell: The Department is working closely with industry, the National Health Service and others in the supply chain to help ensure patients can access the medicines they need, including chloroquine, and precautions are in place to reduce the likelihood of future shortages.Chloroquine is not currently licensed to treat COVID-19 related symptoms or prevent infection. Clinical trials are being established to test chloroquine as an agent in the treatment of COVID-19. Supplies of chloroquine for patients that are using this medicine for its licensed indications can be accessed through usual routes. The company has experienced a significant increase in demand recently, so are working with their wholesalers to manage orders and are working hard to make further stocks available. In addition, there is an export ban in place to protect United Kingdom stocks of chloroquine that are intended for UK patients.

Department for International Development

East Africa: Locusts

lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional assistance they intend to provide to those countries in East Africa affected by COVID-19 to mitigate the impact of the pandemic and the increase in locusts currently swarming in that region.

baroness sugg: We are deeply concerned about the combined impacts of COVID-19 and the locust outbreak in East Africa. Millions of people already face food insecurity in the region caused by humanitarian disasters and conflict. These outbreaks will exacerbate these challenges.We are using UK aid to mitigate new health, humanitarian and economic risks across Africa and have pledged £744 million of UK aid globally to end the COVID-19 pandemic.The UK is also supporting the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) Regional Emergency Appeal for the locust outbreak and has contributed £7 million for the spraying of pesticides on the ground and by air. We will continue taking proactive action, including adapting our existing programmes to meet urgent needs.

Nigeria: Internally Displaced People

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 9 March (HL1991), why they do not provide humanitarian assistance in the middle belt states; and what plans they have, if any, to provide such assistance in future.

baroness sugg: UK humanitarian assistance in Nigeria supports vulnerable people with the most acute lifesaving needs and is aligned with the United Nations Humanitarian Response Plan which is focused on North East Nigeria. The UK is a leading donor to the humanitarian crisis in North East Nigeria where 7.9 million people are in need of lifesaving assistance this year. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic the international community is reviewing whether humanitarian assistance is needed in additional areas of Nigeria beyond the North East region. In the future the UK may decide to provide humanitarian assistance to other areas of Nigeria, based on lifesaving needs.

Refugees: Coronavirus

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the decision by the governments of Italy, Malta and Libya to disallow landing facilities for refugees and migrants rescued at sea, what plans they have to call for the establishment of COVID-19 testing and quarantining arrangements for refugees and migrants in those and other countries.

baroness sugg: This is a fast-moving situation and Italy, Malta and Libya are all adapting their approach to the evolving threat posed by COVID-19. Their responses include dedicated structures to quarantine rescued migrants, mandatory self-isolation for 14 days, testing regimes and, in Libya’s case, disembarkation only in accordance with the Directorate for Combatting Illegal Migration’s capacity to provide shelter. The UK is monitoring these situations closely. In Libya, the UK continues to provide humanitarian support in the healthcare sector.The UK has contributed over £744 million of UK Aid in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, including £20 million to the UN Refugees Agency (UNHCR) to ensure UK Aid meets the needs of vulnerable groups such as refugees. This includes providing access to health services and medical supplies, improving shelters so people with symptoms can isolate, and making sure that there are adequate hygiene supplies and facilities for hand washing in camps and large settlements, to prevent the humanitarian disaster that mass infections among refugees would bring.

Department for International Development: Aviation

lord lee of trafford: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the recent Department for International Development Cargo and Passenger Air Charter Services Tender was not subject to a public procurement process, as was used when this tender was last issued in 2016.

baroness sugg: Traditionally, as part of Humanitarian Emergency Response Operations (HEROs,) DFID had a framework contract in place for the charter air component of its humanitarian response, this expired in April 2020. DFID appraised a number of options for the replacement service taking into consideration value for money and the most efficient service provision. Absorbing the air charter component into the HEROs contract was assessed as the preferred option.This solution would result in better alignment between all elements of the response as well as minimising the requirement for DFID to run a parallel procurement process. The HEROs contract supplier would in turn run a robust and transparent procurement process, with an element of oversight from DFID, ensuring that a value for money service provision was maintained. The service provision would be delivered within the existing scope of services and no funding increases to the existing agreement would be required.

Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations: Overseas Aid

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department for International Development attached any public interest conditions to the £250 million granted to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations for the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.

baroness sugg: The UK is leading international efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine that is equitable and accessible.Following a virtual summit of G20 leaders on the 26 March, the UK Prime Minister called on governments to work together to develop a vaccine as quickly as possible and make it available to anyone who needs it. As subsequently agreed by the G20, we support a global approach to the rapid development and scaled up manufacture of vaccines that are equitable and accessible. We are working with technical partners and WHO to support an approach to Research & Development, regulation and funding that will deliver that.Our £250 million funding to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is the biggest donation of any country to date. CEPI is an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic, and civil society organisations, to develop vaccines to stop future epidemics. CEPI is leading the international coordination of vaccine research, making sure that the best experts from around the world get the investments they need to make rapid progress on a vaccine for this COVID-19 pandemic.Furthermore, the UK is also the largest funder to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Gavi will play a key role in working with CEPI to make a new coronavirus vaccine available and affordable.

Developing Countries: Coronavirus

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) current, and (2) future, impact of COVID-19 on developing countries; and what steps they plan to take in response.

baroness sugg: We are using UK aid to its full effect to counter the health, humanitarian, and economic risks and impact of this pandemic in the developing world. The UK has, so far, pledged £744 million of UK aid to help end this pandemic as quickly as possible.Our latest UK aid funding of £200 million, announced on 12 April, will enable humanitarian organisations to help reduce mass infections in developing countries which often lack the healthcare systems to track and halt the virus. This funding includes £130 million to UN agencies in response to their COVID-19 humanitarian appeals.The UK is also providing up to £150 million of UK aid funding which will go the International Monetary Fund’s Catastrophe Containment Relief Trust to help developing countries meet their debt repayments so that they can focus their available resources on tackling COVID-19. The UK has also worked closely with other G20 creditors and the Paris Club to provide a temporary suspension of debt repayments from the poorest and most vulnerable countries that request relief, further boosting countries’ capacity to respond to the crisis.Alongside our comprehensive COVID-19 response, which includes programmes in health, humanitarian support, financial aid and economic support, vaccines, and preparations for the recovery phase, we are redirecting existing support and programmes to be more responsive to COVID-19 and work on other DFID priorities will continue to help support the recovery phase and preparedness for future threats.

Overseas Aid: Coronavirus

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to contribute to the UN Global Humanitarian Response Plan to tackle COVID-19.

baroness sugg: The UK strongly supports the UN’s Global Humanitarian Response Plan to tackle COVID-19. Our latest UK aid funding of £200 million, announced on 12 April, will enable humanitarian organisations to help reduce mass infections in developing countries which often lack the healthcare systems to track and halt the virus. This funding includes £130 million to UN agencies in response to their COVID-19 humanitarian appeals and £50 million to the Red Cross to help its efforts in difficult to reach areas, such as those affected by armed conflict. We continue to urge other countries to step up to support international appeals.Additionally, the UK has pledged £50 million to match £50 million from Unilever for a joint global hygiene project targeting up to a billion people with awareness and behavioural change campaigns to promote handwashing and providing 20 million hygiene items like soap and bleach to help the most vulnerable communities protect themselves.This humanitarian funding brings the total amount of UK aid committed to fight COVID-19 to £744 million. This includes support to develop new vaccines, tests and treatments; humanitarian aid and support for the International Monetary Fund to help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the world’s most vulnerable countries.

Developing Countries: Coronavirus

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to granting an immediate, condition free moratorium on debt interest payments for developing countries in order to release resources for such countries to deal with COVID-19.

baroness sugg: We are supporting the poorest countries, which represent a quarter of the world’s population, to avoid economic collapse. Economic disruption hits the world’s poor hardest and would deepen a global recession, making it harder for all of us to bounce back and prosper. The UK is providing up to £150 million of UK aid funding which will go the International Monetary Fund’s Catastrophe Containment Relief Trust to help developing countries meet their debt repayments. This will allow them to focus their available resources on tackling COVID-19. The UK has also worked closely with other G20 creditors and the Paris Club to provide a temporary suspension of debt repayments from the poorest and most vulnerable countries that request relief, further boosting countries’ capacity to respond to the crisis.

Coronavirus: Older People

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to concentrate their international response to COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries on those who are 60 years old and above.

baroness sugg: We recognise that that older people, people with disabilities, people with pre-existing conditions, and those with complex needs are disproportionately impacted and at more serious risk of severe complications and fatality due to COVID-19. We are working hard to ensure that our help reaches those most in need, including older people, through close collaboration with our partners.Our funding is supporting a range of initiatives and partners to ensure that it can reach those in need and strengthening fragile health services in the world’s poorest countries where there is a high chance of the disease spreading rapidly.This includes supporting the United Nation’s Global Humanitarian Response Plan to tackle COVID-19 and help to the most vulnerable across the globe. The plan explicitly identifies older people given their susceptibility to the virus and their broader vulnerability. Our latest UK aid announcement on 12 April of £200 million, is supporting humanitarian organisations to help reduce mass infections in developing countries that often lack the healthcare systems to track and halt the virus. This includes £130 million to UN agencies in response to their COVID-19 humanitarian appeals.In order to reduce transmission, the UK government is also working with Unilever to fund a £100 million global hygiene programme. This campaign will be tailored to communities to ensure messages are inclusive and effective. It will reach up to a billion people worldwide, raising awareness and changing behaviour, to make sure that people are washing their hands with soap regularly and disinfecting surfaces. The programme will also provide over 20 million hygiene products in the developing world, including in areas where there is little or no sanitation.In addition, we are redirecting existing support and programmes to be more responsive to COVID-19.

Coronavirus: Older People

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that older people in low- and middle-income countries have access to the information they need to minimise the risk of COVID-19.

baroness sugg: We recognise that that older people are disproportionately impacted and at more risk of severe complications and death due to COVID-19. As well as the immediate risk of catching COVID-19, marginalised groups also experience secondary impacts of the virus. This includes reduced access to healthcare services and information, which is further compounded by existing accessibility barriers.For example, healthcare information is not routinely distributed in accessible formats. Older people with visual impairments will need access to large print documentation, or may need other alternative communication methods that fit best with their needs. We are working hard to ensure that our help reaches those most in need, including older people, through close collaboration with our partners.Our funding is supporting a range of initiatives and partners to ensure that it can reach those in need and strengthen fragile health services in the world’s poorest countries where there is a high risk of the disease spreading rapidly. This includes supporting the United Nation’s Global Humanitarian Response Plan to tackle COVID-19 and help to the most vulnerable across the globe. The plan explicitly identifies older people given their susceptibility to the virus and their broader vulnerability. Our latest UK aid announcement on 12 April of £200 million, is supporting humanitarian organisations to help reduce mass infections in developing countries that often lack the healthcare systems to track and halt the virus. This includes £130 million to UN agencies in response to their COVID-19 humanitarian appeals.To help reduce transmission and inform the public, the UK government is also working with Unilever to fund a £100 million global hygiene programme. This campaign will be tailored to communities to ensure messages are inclusive and effective. It will reach up to a billion people worldwide, raising awareness and changing behaviour, to make sure that people are washing their hands with soap regularly and disinfecting surfaces. The programme will also provide over 20 million hygiene products in the developing world, including in areas where there is little or no sanitation.In addition, we are redirecting existing support and programmes ensure responses to COVID-19 are fully inclusive, including supporting the needs of older people.

Coronavirus: Older People

baroness anelay of st johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that their international response to COVID-19 explicitly supports the health needs of older people in low- and middle-income countries.

baroness sugg: We recognise that that older people are disproportionately impacted and at more risk of severe complications and death due to COVID-19.As well as the primary impacts of COVID-19, marginalised groups also experience secondary impacts of virus. This includes reduced access to healthcare, food and medications, due to increased pressure on healthcare systems, markets and supply chains, made worse by pre-existing accessibility challenges and barriers. We also understand that older people live in a variety of settings where social distancing advice may be challenging to enact, such as humanitarian settings or where older people are living in residential care. We are working hard to ensure that our help reaches those most in need, including older people, through close collaboration with our partners.Our funding is supporting a range of initiatives and partners to ensure that it can reach those in need and strengthen fragile health services in the world’s poorest countries where there is a high risk of the disease spreading rapidly. This includes supporting the United Nation’s Global Humanitarian Response Plan to tackle COVID-19 and help to the most vulnerable across the globe. The plan explicitly identifies older people given their susceptibility to the virus and their broader vulnerability. Our latest UK aid announcement on 12 April of £200 million, is supporting humanitarian organisations to help reduce mass infections in developing countries that often lack the healthcare systems to track and halt the virus. This includes £130 million to UN agencies in response to their COVID-19 humanitarian appeals.In addition, we are redirecting existing support and programmes ensure responses to COVID-19 are fully inclusive, including supporting the needs of older people.

International Day for Street Children

baroness anelay of st johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they took to mark the International Day for Street Children on 12 April and its campaign for Safe Spaces for Children in order to raise awareness about the problems faced by street-connected children.

baroness sugg: DFID is committed to protecting the most vulnerable children around the world including children who live and work on the streets. We provide significant support to protect children from violence in conflict and humanitarian crises and to reduce their risks of violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect.DFID’s Education support focuses on the needs of the most marginalised children. In August 2019 at the G7 Summit, the UK Prime Minister announced £90 million of new UK support for education in emergencies and crises across the world, this will support 600,000 children living in conflict areas and areas of protracted crises. This investment is key to the PM’s plan to ensure more girls benefit from 12 years of education. This funding will provide safe spaces and psycho-social support to some of the most vulnerable children in the world.

Overseas Aid: Coronavirus

baroness anelay of st johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that Department for International Development funded non-government organisations and international non-governmental organisation include street-connected children and homeless youth in emergency funding during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness sugg: DFID is committed to protecting the most vulnerable children in the world. We are working with international partners to ensure that child protection is integrated into a comprehensive response to COVID-19 that supports those groups who will be hit the hardest and are often with limited or no state protection. We are also working to ensure that existing UK programming is responsive to the challenge of supporting those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Refugees: Coronavirus

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to limit the vulnerability of refugees around the world to the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness sugg: One of the main risks to ending the COVID-19 pandemic is the weakness of developing countries’ healthcare systems. Those countries already struggling with humanitarian crises will be particularly stretched. Refugees are amongst the most vulnerable. They often live in close quarters without access to proper healthcare or shelter, many in crowded and unsanitary camps where social distancing and regular handwashing are almost impossible. The UK has long been supportive of initiatives to build resilience amongst refugees and their host communities, including in health and disease control. We have done this through programmes that are providing access to public health information, clean water, sanitation and health services. We are also working closely with all our international partners to coordinate a global response that includes actions to address the vulnerability of refugee populations. We have committed £744 million to date in the fight against COVID-19. Our most recent funding includes new support to the UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR) and to UNICEF to help install new hand-washing stations and isolation and treatment centres in refugee camps as well as provide protection services and education opportunities for forcibly displaced children.

Population

lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to restrain and reverse the projected growth in the world’s population.

baroness sugg: The UK is committed to increasing access to voluntary family planning, empowering women and girls to make their own decisions about if, when and how many children they have, without coercion or discrimination, and with full, free and informed choice.The UK is the world’s second largest global bilateral donor on family planning and has committed to spend an average of £225 million per year on family planning up to 2021/22. We built on this commitment at UNGA 2019, where the Secretary of State announced a £600 million programme for reproductive health supplies up to 2025. Our investment in girls’ education, empowerment and economic opportunities, will ensure that rapidly growing young populations can access education, jobs and services.

Rohingya: UN Population Fund

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial support the United Nations Population Fund has received to support their humanitarian work with the Rohingya population in Myanmar and neighbouring countries.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: From 2015 to 2016 DFID provided £500,000 to UNFPA through our Rakhine Humanitarian programme to maintain coordination services and strengthen gender-based violence preventative and response initiatives in crisis affected areas of Rakhine State, which included the Rohingya community. DFID is currently providing a nationwide £400,000 grant to UNFPA in Myanmar through our health programme to provide technical support on maternal mortality death surveillance and response. This includes work by UNFPA to support the Maternal and Reproductive Division of the Ministry of Health and the Rakhine State Health Department to review, analyse and disseminate findings to tackle maternal mortality amongst all communities in Rakhine, including the Rohingya.Since September 2017, DFID have provided £4,876,046 to the United Nations Population Fund to assist with the Rohingya response in the camps in Cox’s Bazar District in Bangladesh.The UK has committed £256 million in funding to the Rohingya response in Bangladesh since August 2017. In Myanmar’s Rakhine State, the UK is providing support to all communities affected by crises and remains the second largest donor.

Rohingya: UN Population Fund

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial support the United Nations Population Fund will receive in each of the next three financial years to support their humanitarian work with the Rohingya population in Myanmar and neighbouring countries.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is developing plans for the continued funding of the Rohingya response in Bangladesh once the current programme ends, as well as for continued support to Rohingya IDPs and communities in Myanmar. Sexual and reproductive health services for Rohingya IDPs and refugees and host communities will remain a high priority, for which the United Nations Population Fund is a valued partner.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

House of Lords: Coronavirus

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether all staff employed by the House of Lords will be supported financially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord mcfall of alcluith: All permanent and part-time staff employed by the House of Lords Administration continue to be paid. Staff employed on variable hours contracts and who are not currently being offered shifts are being paid based on their average earnings for the last four sitting weeks in which they worked.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Horticulture: Coronavirus

lord bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to allow garden centres and plant nurseries to open during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: The Government is aware of the challenging position facing garden centres and plant nurseries during this period. Nurseries growing plants for sale to other retail outlets or online to the public are 'open' and accessible by staff for plant care and maintenance purposes. They are, however, like garden centres, closed to the public to aid the prevention of spread of COVID-19. The Government is keeping the situation on Garden Centres under review, but concluded last week that it was too early to ease any restrictions on such retail environments. We will continue to work closely with representatives from the horticulture supply chain to understand what short-term and long-term support the sector as a whole needs. We are ready to respond to emerging issues quickly and effectively. Public health must be at the heart of the difficult decisions the Government is having to take at this time.

Cabinet Office

UK Relations With EU

lord bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 23 March (HL2421), how many agreements have been reached in respect of mutual recognition of (1) driving licences, and (2) blue badges.

lord true: The recognition of both driving licenses and blue badges is a member state competence and the Government is seeking to secure both with EU members via bilateral agreement. Discussions are ongoing in both of these policy areas. Recognition of disabled blue badges currently operates on a policy of goodwill among EU member states. The Government has asked UK local authorities to continue to recognise disabled blue badges and hopes that EU member states will reciprocate.

Brexit

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultation has taken place with stakeholders and, in particular, consumers, in relation to UK-wide Common Frameworks, and what further consultations are planned.

lord true: The UK Government remains committed to transparency in the UK common frameworks programme. The Cabinet Office has overall responsibility for the frameworks programme and engages regularly with a wide range of stakeholder organisations, including businesses and consumers, as well as providing updates on the development of UK common frameworks through regular publications.Departments across Whitehall are responsible for developing individual frameworks and therefore undertake consultation with relevant stakeholders. Officials are currently revisiting the format of stakeholder engagement in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Death

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deaths have been recorded in each of the last three months; and what assessment they have made of how many deaths would have occurred in each of the last three months if there had been no cases of COVID 19.

lord true: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.Dear Lord Pearson,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question asking for the number of deaths that have been registered in the last three months and predictions about how many deaths there would have been without COVID-19 (HL3274).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces a weekly report on provisional deaths registered in England and Wales[1]. The most recent figures available are for the week ending 17 April 2020. ONS mortality statistics are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration.Table 1 shows the number of weekly deaths registered between week 1 (ending 3 January 2020) and week 16 (ending 17 April 2020), the five-year average per week and the number of deaths where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. The average is based on the number of death registrations that were recorded for each corresponding week over the previous five years. We have included these figures as they are presented in our weekly report. A copy of the table has been placed in the House of Lords Library. The table shows that the increase in number of excess deaths in the last two months, in relation to the five-year average per week, is greater than the number of deaths due to Covid19, suggesting that there are potentially other factors contributing to the increased death rate.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond [1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest



UKSA Response
(Excel SpreadSheet, 12.85 KB)

Coronavirus: Death

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people in England and Wales aged (1) under 65, and (2) under 40 years old have died fromCOVID-19 since 23 March.

lord true: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond. Dear Lord Pearson,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people in England and Wales aged under 65 years, and aged under 40 years have died from coronavirus (COVID-19) since 23 March (HL3276).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces a weekly report on provisional deaths registered in England and Wales[1], including deaths involving COVID-19. The week runs from Saturday to Friday. I have therefore provided data from 21 March up to the most recent week available, ending 17 April. ONS mortality statistics are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration.Table 1 below shows the number of deaths that occurred where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate between week 13 (ending 27 March 2020) and week 16 (17 April 2020). We have included these figures as they are presented in our weekly report.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1: Weekly provisional figures on death occurrence where coronavirus (COVID-19) was mentioned on the death certificate in England and Wales[2][3][4][5][6]Week number13141516Week ended27-Mar-2003-Apr-2010-Apr-2017-Apr-20 All ages1,8064,9897,8337,288Under 4026395040Under 652596881001799Source: ONS[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest[2]Counts of deaths involving Covid-19 will include neonatals.[3]For deaths registered from 1st January 2020, cause of death is coded to the ICD-10 classification using MUSE 5.5 software. Previous years were coded to IRIS 4.2.3, further information about the change in software is available.[4]Does not include deaths where age is either missing or not yet fully coded[5]An 'underlying cause of death' refers to the main cause of death, whereas a cause being 'mentioned on the death certificate' means that it might be the main reason or a contributory reason to the cause of death5These figures include deaths of non-residents.[6]These figures represent death occurrences, there can be a delay between the date a death occurred and the date a death was registered. More information can be found in our impact of registration delays release.

Coronavirus: Death

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deaths attributed to COVID-19 have been recorded in (1) care homes, (2) hospitals, (3) individuals' homes, and (4) other locations.

lord true: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond. Dear Lord Pearson,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question asking how many deaths attributed to COVID-19 have been recorded in (1) care homes, (2) hospitals, (3) individuals' homes, and (4) other locations (HL3277).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces a weekly report on provisional deaths registered in England and Wales[1], including deaths involving COVID-19. The week runs from Saturday to Friday, and data has therefore been provided for all deaths attributed to COVID-19 up to the most recent week available, ending 17 April. ONS mortality statistics are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration.Table 1 below shows the number of deaths that occurred where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate up to and including 17 April 2020. We have included these figures as they are presented in our weekly report.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1: Provisional figures on total death registrations where coronavirus (COVID-19) was mentioned on the death certificate in England and Wales up to 17 April 2020 by place of occurrence[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Total deaths (COVID-19)Care Home3,096Hospital (acute or community, not psychiatric)14,796Home883Other337Total19,112 Source: ONS [1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest[2]Coding of deaths by cause for the latest week is not yet complete and counts could be subject of change.[3]For deaths registered from 1st January 2020, cause of death is coded to the ICD-10 classification using MUSE 5.5 software. Previous years were coded to IRIS 4.2.3, further information about the change in software is available.[4]These figures represent death registrations, there can be a delay between the date a death occurred and the date a death was registered. More information can be found in our impact of registration delays release.[5]An 'underlying cause of death' refers to the main cause of death, whereas a cause being 'mentioned on the death certificate' means that it might be the main reason or a contributory reason to the cause of death[6]Deaths at home are those at the usual residence of the deceased (according to the informant)‚ where this is not a communal establishment.[7]Care homes includes homes for the chronic sick; nursing homes; homes for people with mental health problems and non-NHS multi-function sites.[8]Other includes:Hospices: including Sue Ryder Homes; Marie Curie Centres; oncology centres; voluntary hospice units; and palliative care centres.Other Communal Establishments: including schools for people with learning disabilities; holiday homes and hotels; common lodging houses; aged persons’ accommodation; assessment centres; schools; convents and monasteries; nurses’ homes;Elsewhere: including all places not covered above such as deaths on a motorway; at the beach; climbing a mountain; walking down the street; at the cinema; at a football match; while out shopping; or in someone else's home.This category also includes people who are pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.[9]These figures are calculated using the most up-to-date data we have available to get the most accurate estimates.[10]Non-residents are included in the England and Wales total but not England and Wales separately. For this reason, counts for "England" and "Wales" may not sum to "England and Wales".

Intelligence and Security Committee

lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will announce the membership of the Intelligence and Security Committee.

lord true: Members are appointed by the Houses of Parliament (having been nominated by the Prime Minister in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition). The Committee is being formed in the normal way and as quickly as current circumstances allow.

Treasury

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any impact in the reduction of vehicles running on diesel and petrol on tax revenue.

lord agnew of oulton: Any fall in demand for road fuels impacts fuel duty revenue. Fuel duty is an important source of revenue, and the government keeps receipts under review. HMRC publish fuel duty statistics as part of the Hydrocarbon Oils Bulletin.This contains data up to February 2020 and data up to May 2020 will be published here in June. The work of the last ten years in bringing borrowing and debt back under control has ensured that the public finances are well placed to deal with the challenges posed by COVID-19.

Charities: Coronavirus

the lord bishop of st albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to increase the amount that charities can claim through Gift Aid to 50p for every £1 donated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord agnew of oulton: The Government recognises the vital work charities are doing to the support the country during the coronavirus pandemic and on 8 April pledged £750 million to ensure they can continue their vital work. Additionally, many charities can also benefit from the other support schemes put in place by the government, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention scheme. However, There are no plans to increase Gift Aid tax repayments from 25p to 50p for every £1 on donations made to charities. Full tax relief is already available on donations made with Gift Aid, with basic rate relief being claimed by the charity and higher rate relief available to the taxpayer where relevant.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Sports and Voluntary Organisations: Coronavirus

lord addington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the impact of the availability of professional trainers and coaches provided by voluntary organisations and sports clubs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness barran: Sport England has been working closely with its strategic partners, the Chartered Institute of the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), UK Active, Community Leisure UK and the national governing body for group exercise EMD UK to make it easier for personal trainers and group exercise instructors to provide physical activity for people in their community and beyond. This has included work to assist personal trainers to make sure they have adequate insurance cover and guidance to promote remote activity sessions safely. Government recognises the impact that covid-19 is having on the sport sector, and we are continuing to engage with sporting organisations to understand how it is affecting them and to provide support. At the present time, although all elite and grassroots sport has been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, the government recognises the importance of staying physically active for mental and physical health. There has been much innovative thinking across the sport and physical activity sector on how to keep people active whilst social distancing restrictions are in place. Daily exercise is one of the reasons that people are allowed outdoors and campaigns such as Sport England's 'Join the movement ' campaign, under the hashtag #stayinworkout, provides the advice and tools needed to help people to stay as physically fit as possible. Its online hub offers free exercise content and advice from organisations such as the NHS. Workouts from fitness brands and influencers such as Les Mills on Demand, The Body Coach (Joe Wicks) and FiiT are also available via the hub, many of whom are offering extended free trials to help people get active at home.

Disinformation: Coronavirus

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to counter the effects of fake news about the causes of COVID-19.

baroness barran: DCMS stood up the Cross-Whitehall Counter Disinformation Unit on 5 March 2020, bringing together cross-government monitoring and analysis capabilities. Its primary function is to provide a comprehensive picture of the extent, scope and impact of disinformation and misinformation on the response to Covid-19. Where misinformation and disinformation is identified, the Unit works with partners to ensure appropriate action is taken on this, including direct rebuttal on social media. We are working closely with social media platforms to help them identify and remove incorrect claims about the virus, in line with their terms and conditions, as well as promote authoritative sources of information. The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport held a roundtable with major platforms earlier this month to explore how they can further limit the spread of misinformation. Government is also running a counter disinformation campaign, “Don’t feed the Beast” which aims to increase audience resilience by educating and empowering those who see, inadvertently share and are affected by false and misleading information. The campaign promotes the SHARE checklist, providing the public with five easy steps to identify false content, encouraging users to stop and think before they share content online.

Garden Bridge Trust: Finance

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have compiled a report on the finances of the Garden Bridge Trust; if so, whether, and when, they intend to publish that report; and if not, why not.

baroness barran: The Charity Commission, the registrar and regulator of charities in England and Wales, assessed the governance and management of the Garden Bridge Trust. They published a concluding report on the Garden Bridge project in April 2019 which you can find here. In February 2019, Transport for London published a detailed breakdown of the cost of the project: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/temple-footbridge. The government has no plans to conduct any further reports.

Homelessness: Coronavirus

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide additional funding to charities that provide care for the homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness barran: The £750 million funding package announced on 8 April will support front line charities providing vital services and helping vulnerable people affected by Covid-19. DCMS has been supporting the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government alongside the hotel sector, to provide an offer of accommodation for rough sleepers that will allow them to socially distance. A centrally-coordinated process across government has been set up for block booking hotels. More than 5,400 rough sleepers – over 90% of those on the streets at the beginning of the crisis known to local authorities have now been made offers of safe accommodation – ensuring some of the most vulnerable in society are protected from the pandemic. We will continue to work with external partners to support the homeless during the pandemic. For example we have established a connection between Unilever and NHS England, through which Unilever have already offered 30,000 units of toothpaste and deodorant for homeless people being sheltered.

Gambling Act 2005

the lord bishop of st albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 1 April (HL2887), what is the nature of the scoping work being undertaken; who is involved in that work; and when they anticipate concluding such work.

baroness barran: The Government committed in its manifesto to review the Gambling Act 2005 to make sure it is fit for the digital age. This commitment remains a priority, but as with other areas of Government business the impact of Covid-19 has placed unforeseen pressures on the Department. We are continuing to work closely with the Gambling Commission, including on ensuring that vulnerable people are protected in this time of potentially heightened risk.Much of our continuing work, such as monitoring the impact of regulatory interventions in this and other jurisdictions, will be relevant to the review, as will the recommendations of the National Audit Office, which we are considering carefully. A timeline for the review and its scope will be announced in due course.

Exercise: Coronavirus

baroness valentine: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place to ensure that families and co-habitees can exercise outside together unhindered; and in particular, what discussions, if any, they have had with the Lawn Tennis Association about opening tennis courts for such purposes.

baroness barran: I am aware of the strain that many charities are under during this time of financial uncertainty and increased demand on their services. On 8 April, the government announced a £750 million funding package for charities delivering frontline services. Unfortunately not all charities will be able to benefit from this, so they should also consider whether they are eligible for other existing government schemes, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and deferring VAT payments.

Charitable Donations: Coronavirus

baroness hollins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to introducing schemes to encourage charitable donations during the COVID-19 pandemic, including giving donors 100 per cent of tax relief rather than splitting that relief through Gift Aid.

baroness barran: In recognition of the vital role that the charity sector plays in the UK, the Government has long provided tax reliefs to help charities carry out their charitable aims. This includes the provision of tax reliefs directly to charities to increase the amount they have to spend on charitable activities; and on donations, to incentivise charitable giving. Gift Aid is widely supported and is worth around £1.3billion (2018-19). Giving 100% tax relief to the donor for donations to charities would mean charities losing out on valuable Gift Aid income. However, those who wish to receive 100% tax relief can make their donations through Payroll Giving. As part of the government’s £750million support package for charities, the government announced it would match-fund public donations to the BBC’s Big Night In charity appeal on 23 April, starting with a contribution of at least £20 million to the National Emergencies Trust appeal. The event has raised over £33 million in donations from the general public. We encourage the public to continue donating to the National Emergencies Trust appeal, which is coordinating national support for local charities doing vital work during the pandemic.

Charities and Voluntary Work: Coronavirus

baroness bonham-carter of yarnbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support arts charities with community outreach work which have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness barran: In order to support the arts sector specifically, including those charitable organisations within the sector, DCMS has worked closely with Arts Council England to provide a tailored package of financial support. In March, Arts Council England announced a £160m emergency response package to complement the financial measures already announced by the Government and support the resilience of this vital sector. This funding package will support organisations and individuals who need the most support to see them through this crisis. More details can be found on the Arts Council’s website (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid19).Many charitable organisations within the Arts are continuing to provide their world class content in innovative and unique formats and continue to engage with their communities. The Globe Theatre, The National Theatre and The Royal Opera House are all providing access to their online catalogues and providing access to culture in digital formats in order to maintain their links with communities. In addition, Sadler's Wells is presenting a programme of full-length dance performances and workshops online to connect people through dance, and Wiltshire Creative is working with its young ambassadors to plan a Takeover Festival which will run over the summer online and consist of events, performances and activities.

Gambling Act 2005

lord kirkhope of harrogate: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to return responsibility for gambling in theUK to the Home Office as part of their review of the Gambling Act 2005.

baroness barran: Gambling policy is a cross-government issue involving ministers and officials from DCMS, Home Office, DHSC, HMT and other departments. Our departments work together closely and the Health Secretary has announced a cross-government addiction strategy that will include gambling.We have no plans to return primary responsibility for gambling regulation to the Home Office as part of the Gambling Act Review.

Charities: Coronavirus

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support charities during the COVID-19 pandemic; and what plans are in place to ensure the future of charities once normal trading conditions are returned to.

baroness barran: The £750 million funding package announced on 8 April will support front line charities providing vital services and helping vulnerable people affected by Covid-19.DCMS is now working with NLCF to design the eligibility, application and assessment criteria for funding and we expect the application system for this fund to be operational shortly.The government will also be providing match funding for funds raised through the BBC’s Big Night In, held on the 23rd April with Comic Relief and Children in Need, of which £20 million will go to the National Emergencies Trust appeal supporting local charities through the UK Community Foundation network. We are proactively engaging across the sector, to maintain a complete picture of the impact of coronavirus on charities. We have also started to consider potential scenarios for the post COVID-19 recovery phase and how government and civil society can best respond to them.